Leadership and Dysfunctions

Thoughts on Leadership: 5 Dysfunctions of a Team

As part of my being under care of the Ohio Valley Presbytery, I have a mentor to poke and prod me into thinking about and developing life skills useful in the pastorate. I so happen to have my father as this mentor, and so meetings are frequent, although not always focused on mentoring. We have set aside specific times to do mentoring type things, and the other night was one of those times. We watched a DVD from the Leadership Summit that Bill Hybels runs. The talk we watched was "The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team"  (click here for full, or at least more, details about the DVD). Below is sort of an overview and my applications of it:

5 Dysfunctions:
  1. Trust
  2. Conflict
  3. Commitment
  4. Accountability
  5. Results
These 5 build on one another with Trust being the base. Conflict was presented as a vital part of a team and that a team without conflict would have more problems. Conflict is what helps get new ideas and opinions shared. Good conflict can only happen when you trust those around you enough to disagree with them or to voice a differing opinion. Without Trust and Conflict, people will either not fell comfortable committing to things. Commitment to a well understood and communicated action plan is vital for a team to get anything done. Team members need to know that their opinions and concerns are taken into account and that even if the action plan is not their first choice, they have been heard. Having this commitment makes accountability easier. Team members need to be held accountable to both how they are effecting the team and what they have agreed and committed to. All that the team does should focus on the results, the goal or purpose of the team. This is ultimately what people are being held accountable to and committing to.

In the church as in business, this holds true. The results or goals may be different, but in both cases, the team and especially the leader will do well to think through these five potential dysfunctions and plan for how to address them. Personally, I see this applying to my co-leading of the Czech Trip. I will be in a leadership role of a team of volunteers going to teach English for a week in the Czech Republic. Our goals and desired results are well defined: Teach quality English, form relationships with the students and church members through showing Christ as a natural part of our lives, and have fun. As I look at how our team will function, I see that we must keep these goals in mind as we meet and make decisions. Our meeting and before going to the camp is vital to build trust so that we can share both ideas and feelings with each other without fear. As we meet and talk about how we are going to do things (like travel, teaching English, engage the student, etc. ) we must be willing and able to have conflict. We need to hear both agreement and differing views and opinions. As leaders, it is our job to make decisions. To do this with conflict and trust means that we need to be able to hear out the things shared by the team, and assure them that when the decision time comes, it has been made with a respect for the group and the individuals, especially when the decision goes against some one's thoughts or desires. This will help lead to having the group commit. Commitment needs to be the outcome of the discussions and decisions. All the team members need to be able to commit to what ever action plan has been laid out, even if they do not agree with it. Why would they do this? They may not, but they would be more inclined to if they know that their voice has been heard during the discussion and can trust the leaders and group. Out of commitment flows accountability. If a decision is made and only a few people follow through, trust and commitment are called into question. That is why it is important to build a culture of accountability. As leaders, we must keep the team accountable to start this culture. As they start to catch on to this, they will help keep each other accountable. This brings us back to the goals,: what are we  committing to and what are we being held accountable to? Ultimately, we are committing to pursuing the shared goals and seek to hold each other accountable so that the we may share in the results.

This is a very ruff summery of what this lecture was on, but I recommend thinking through these things. I, for one, need to watch this talk again so that I can straighten out my understanding of these principles.






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